Objective:

To describe the contributions made by James Kiffin Penry in the field of epilepsy during his lifetime.

Background:

Epilepsy is a prevalent neurological condition that has been documented since ancient times and affects as many as 50 million people today. Initially, its seemingly supernatural connotations were a source of fear and wonder. As doctors and scientists improved our understanding of the disease, leading to the development of the electroencephalogram, it started to shed its spiritual connotations in favor of a legitimate diagnosis. James Kiffin Penry was a major figure who brought the study of epilepsy into the modern discourse.

Design/Methods:

A literature review was conducted on PubMed and Google Scholar to find articles that chronicle the personal and professional life of James Kiffin Penry.

Results:

James Penry was born in Denton, North Carolina and completed his medical training at Boston City Hospital. While working at the National Institute of Neurology Disease and Blindness, he was instrumental in promoting the positive benefits of carbamazepine and valproate acid as treatment for seizures. He wrote and edited numerous publications which described the necessity of monitoring and utilizing serum levels of antiepileptic medications. After returning to the Bowman Gray School of Medicine, he developed a minifellowship program encouraging education for providers in the epilepsy field.

Conclusions:

Dr. James Kiffin Penry’s efforts earned him recognition as a modern ‘giant’ in the field of epilepsy.